Insight Session
Understanding FDA’s Rule and Why Pharmacy and Retail Ecosystems Must Start Preparing Today
Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center, Room 252
The New NDC Era: Understanding FDA's Rule and Why Pharmacy and Retail Ecosystems Must Start Preparing Today
FDA’s recently announced transition to a 12-digit National Drug Code (NDC) format will be one of the most significant drug identification changes in decades, affecting nearly every stakeholder that relies on NDC data, including pharmacies, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers (including OTC manufacturers), PBMs, FSA programs, payers, technology vendors, and government programs.
While implementation may still be years away, organizations that wait for a final deadline risk discovering NDC dependencies too late. For pharmacies, the transition has implications across dispensing systems, reimbursement workflows, inventory management, purchasing, reporting, clinical systems, DSCSA processes, retail systems and countless interfaces with trading partners.
This session will provide an overview of FDA’s final NDC rule, what the transition is intended to accomplish, and its expected impact on the pharmacy ecosystem. Drawing on insights from national industry workshops and the newly established NDC Coordination and Implementation Forum, attendees will learn practical steps they can take now to assess readiness, identify hidden risks, engage vendors and partners, and build a roadmap for a successful transition.
Whether you are responsible for pharmacy operations, merchandising, retail operations, technology, supply chain, or business strategy, this session will help you move from awareness to action and prepare your organization for one of the healthcare industry’s most consequential data modernization efforts.
Key Topics
- What FDA’s proposed NDC rule changes and why it matters
- How the transition will affect pharmacy operations, reimbursement, and supply chain processes
- Where NDCs are embedded across pharmacy systems and workflows
- Where NDCs are embedded across retail systems and workflows
- Common readiness gaps and risks emerging across the industry
- Immediate actions pharmacies can take to begin preparing today
- How industry collaboration through efforts like the NDC Forum can help reduce cost, complexity, and disruption
